Wilrijk vs Beerschot VA

Beerschot wasted no time asserting their class. Midfielder Brahic opened the scoring in the 9th minute, capitalising on early pressure to give the Challenger Pro League side a lead they never looked like surrendering.

Song doubled the advantage in the 36th minute with a composed finish, before Haraguchi made it 3-0 in the 44th minute — a three-goal burst that effectively ended the contest before the interval.

Wilrijk, who have earned three consecutive promotions in recent seasons, emerged with renewed purpose after the break and pulled one back in the 67th minute (scorer not officially named).

But D'Margio Wright-Phillips restored Beerschot's three-goal cushion in the 76th minute, slotting home the fourth to seal a 4-1 win that reflected the gulf in division status.

The three-goal blitz in the final 11 minutes of the first half. Once Haraguchi made it 3-0 just before the interval, the contest was effectively over. Beerschot made all 11 outfield changes at the break — goalkeeper Popp also replaced by Gies — naturally disrupting any second-half cohesion, but the damage had already been done.

• Brahic — opened the scoring with a well-taken 9th-minute strike and led the line before being replaced at half-time by Vula.
• Haraguchi — the Japanese midfielder scored just before the break and was one of Beerschot's most dangerous players in the opening 45 minutes.
• D'Margio Wright-Phillips — the former Manchester City and Stoke City academy product added gloss with the fourth goal late on, a reminder of his quality at Challenger Pro League level.
• Song — weighed in with the second goal, finishing confidently from inside the box.

Player of the match: Haraguchi, for his goal and all-round influence in the first half.

This was a textbook pre-season friendly. Beerschot used 22 different players — every starter bar Suma, who was replaced by Song at 30 minutes, was withdrawn at half-time. The heavy rotation makes traditional match stats (possession, shots, xG) largely meaningless: Beerschot played two entirely different XIs across 90 minutes.

The Beerschot website noted the priority: "Iedereen heeft de minuten kunnen maken die hij nodig had" (everyone got the minutes they needed), as translated from the club's post-match report. The real takeaway is that Kuyt's senior squad showed sharpness in front of goal early in pre-season, scoring three times in the first 44 minutes.

This was the first of Beerschot's pre-season friendlies ahead of the 2026-27 Challenger Pro League campaign. After relegation from the Belgian Pro League last season, the club targets an immediate return to the top flight. Wilrijk, meanwhile, continue their own upward trajectory on the back of three straight promotions.

Beerschot's next pre-season fixture is scheduled for 11 July 2026 against OH Leuven, a stiffer test against a Pro League opponent that will give a clearer picture of the squad's readiness.

A controlled, professional performance from Beerschot against a willing but outclassed opponent. Pre-season friendlies demand a health warning on any conclusions drawn, but the early sharpness in front of goal — four different scorers, three inside the first 44 minutes — is a positive sign for Dirk Kuyt's side. Wilrijk will take heart from their second-half showing and the goal they scored against a side two divisions above them.